Jetboils in Winter

[Jeff-B]

I am considering buying a Jetboil unit for winter day-climb use only, not overnight (hopefully not ever)

I would like to know what others think about this stove for this purpose only.
I want to make a quick cup of tea, or cocoa or instant soup in cold weather conditions, probably sheltered above treeline somewhere.
I searched the BB for threads and have read about the "winter mix" fuel cells, but no info on how well they operate in cold weather. Also understand that the fuel cell will be most likely imbedded in snow, if that makes a difference or not?

My first impression is these seem perfect for what I want, no fancy cooking requirements, just water boils and probably "snow-melt to water boils".
The package looks decent with the insulated cup, ect, all inserted into a single packed unit.
This summer I did see one in operation and it seems simple enough.

However, I do own and love my multi fuel MSR International Whisperlight, which is anything but a "whisper", more like a blow torch!
I would rather not deal with connecting the stove to pump bottle, then priming, then boiling with a seperate pot.
But, if the consenses is that a propane/butane stove works poorly in cold weather, then I certainly won't bother investing.

Is a Jetboil worth it for what I am looking for?

 

[giggy]

probabaly - but I don't have a jetboil and never used one - but consider the most inexpensive cannister stove - like the old pocket rocket -
why spend the cake on the jetboil - when you can spend less!!
soundsl like your just boiling water

http://www.hiltonstentcity.com/library/msr-pocketrocket.htm

I have the a primus version of this that I don't think they make anymore - had it for about 7 years now - and it still works great -

it will work in winter - I usually sleep with cannister - but last month I screwed up and left it outside overnight in tuck ravine (having beers probably had something to do with this )

but..... it fired right up the next morning. and was below 20 that night - I am sure of it. the cannister was frozen to the table.

 

[Bluethroatedone]

Jetboil vs whisperlite

Plenty of threads on this...here's what I wrote in a previous thread:

I love both...here's my take on each:

Whisperlite
+ great for cooking lots of meals, can do all meals, all form factors
+ Useful in countries where you can't get anything but kerosene (used jet kerosene in Kyrgyzstan)
+ Reliable, know how much fuel you have
+ Works great in cold weather

-Sucks in the rain (can't cook/prime under rain fly for fear of lighting it on fire)
-Take a while to set up (~3min) - have to unfold the aluminium thingies, get the bottom one around the stove, unfold the legs (gets soot on hands) etc.
- Heavier side
- Slower to boil water
- Must wait ~10 min after turning off to turn on again

Jet Boil
+ Super fast set up (~20 seconds)
+ Super fast to boil water (~15-20 seconds for a cup of water at sea level!!!)
This is very very useful when you want to make a quick cub of tea when you get to camp
+ Can turn on turn off as many times as you want
+ In winter melts snow at twice the speed of the whisperlite (more on how in a bit)
+ Can be used inside a tent (Being very very careful)
+ Compact and light

- Can't cook foods, just liquids without the additional doohiky
- tough to tell how much lift in the canister
- Canister's more expensive than white gas
- Have created a fireball when the cup seperated from burner droping it on the ground
- Tougher to use in winter (Must put canister in small tub of water to keep canister warm and keep adding water to that as it cools it down)
- Hate thinking of the envrionmental affect of throwing out all those canisters

Bottom line - buy both, use them for different things.

My problem, I now take both in winter, but my pack is already pretty heavy....oh well 2 steps forwards, 1 step back

 

[dolladoj]

Oddly I had troubles with my pocket rocket and a brand new canister this past Saturday night at about 3300 feet, and high 20 degree temps. The stove didn't stay lit very long. Despite warming the fuel inside my second lowest layer for about 20 minutes. I have used it in more wintery conditions without issue, but after this experience, I'm thinking about the jetboil option as well.

 

[Neil]

My take on the Jetboil, which I own and have used in summer, is that it would be lousey in winter. When I hear stuff about keeping the cannister near your body or using a hand warmer under it or whatever I lose interest real fast.

 

[redsock]

Would just carrying a small thermos full of tea, cocoa, or soup do? The weight of a small thermos can't be much more than a jetboil, can it?

 

[Jeff-B]

I have considered the MSR Pocket Rocket as my next butane/propane of choice, but the unit needs a pot too, which is OK, but I see problems with loss of heat around the base. This is where the Jetboil looks like it would excel. The MSR is certainly cheaper and even lighter than the Jetboil.

But both are butane fuel cells and I am now reading replies where to keep them warm is important.
Hey, I don't plan on detaching this fuel canister each time just to keep it warm. The whole reason I am even considering the new stove is for simple and quick set-up ease on a winter day trip.
So, if it works easily while staying assembled, then I am sold.
Maybe it will stay warm enough in my daypack alone for a few hours?
I could see where an overnight might be problematic.

I don't have too bad a problem with the canisters, my local recycle bins at the dump will take them once you pop a few large holes with a can opener.

Bluethroatdone:
Tell us more about melting snow faster than an MSR!

These testimonials sure sounded great.



Keep the feedback coming...I want to hear lots of actual winter experiences.

 

[Jeff-B]

Would just carrying a small thermos full of tea, cocoa, or soup do? The weight of a small thermos can't be much more than a jetboil, can it?

My thinking is to replace my normally required 3 quart minimum liquid needs with 1 or 2 quarts and the new stove to melt snow and make plenty of "hotties" to hit the spot.

Yes, a thermos would make things easier, and I do have a few I like and use.
But that means heating liquid 3+ hours drive before I hit the trail, or stopping at DD's to fill up.

I want "on the fly" hiking hot liquids.

 

[Bluethroatedone]

melting snow in winter

Key is to keep the the canister warm. Start with canister in middle of pack, in the car not trunk. Bring Ziplock / tuperware / Glad container. Have small amount of water in Nalgene.

To use stove:
1. Fire up stove with a 1/3 liter water in it
2. When heats up pour half into container
3. Place Jet boil canister in container surounded by Hot (not boiling) water
4. Add snow to water (more efficient to use hot water to melt snow than emptying jet boil fully and filling with snow)
5. Change out water in container as process and air cools it down
6. If you use butane/propane etc. remember that gases seperate and that when its about 1/3rd empty the stove will likely act very different (slower to cook, tougher to light etc.)

This setup will work in -20 degrees.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Bottom line - buy both, use them for different things.

I agree. I have a MSR Dragonfly (which I like very much) and a Jetboil. I haven't used the Jetboil yet but still plan on using the dragonfly in winter. I will use the jetboil in spring, summer, and fall.

Keith

 

[coldfeet]

I used my Jetboil this past weekend with a few VFTT'ers in the Catskills, temps were in the low 20's..the flame was poor. I kept the cannister in my coat for 10 minutes and it lite up fine but then it must have gotten cold again and the flame went really low!..Luckily others were using white gas and I got hot water from them. Next time I bring the white gas!

 

[Lawn Sale]

I also have a Dragonfly, which I love, but it is noisy. I have seen the JetBoil's used and am impressed with them (fast, quiet, simple) but I have not seen them used in the winter yet.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

which I love, but it is noisy.

I love it too. And it does sound like a jet engine.

Keith

 

[Jeff-B]

Key is to keep the the canister warm. Start with canister in middle of pack, in the car not trunk. Bring Ziplock / tuperware / Glad container. Have small amount of water in Nalgene.

To use stove:
1. Fire up stove with a 1/3 liter water in it
2. When heats up pour half into container
3. Place Jet boil canister in container surounded by Hot (not boiling) water
4. Add snow to water (more efficient to use hot water to melt snow than emptying jet boil fully and filling with snow)
5. Change out water in container as process and air cools it down
6. If you use butane/propane etc. remember that gases seperate and that when its about 1/3rd empty the stove will likely act very different (slower to cook, tougher to light etc.)

This setup will work in -20 degrees.

Although this first sounds like some effort is involved, it really seems simple enough!
So, you can expect the stove to work at it's worst effort at the very start of operation, then perpetuate a warm bath to keep the fuel tank warm which makes the stove work better. Makes sense and I applaud your effort!
Humm, makes me think a heat-sync coil rigged to the tank from the burner would solve that engineering problem.


Many others have posted some bad experiences with propane use in cold weather, but how about limiting reports of people actually using the correct "winter mix" fuel cells for this particular Jetboil stove?

The website has many pros (of course they would..silly) for use in winter conditions.

I am leaning towards favor at this point.
Then I'll write my own reviews!

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[the starchild]

I used my jetboil at o degrees. trick as many said was keeping the cannister warm. a hand warmer under the cannister really helped as did sleeping with the cannister in my bag.

!!!watchout for big flareups!!! we created a few while cooking when the cannister wasn't warm and it surprised the hell outta us!

but since i make food in a nalgene fair share mug with a homemade cozy and only use the jetboil to boil water i can't deny its ease and quickness, especially in colder weather when you don't wanna be fooling around too much with cold hands and you want hot beverages and food ASAP. this stove is just too dang quick to set up and boil.

ps my other stove is a dragon fly, which as we all know is as hot and loud as a jet engine. but.... think if having to melt snow for water i would leave the jetboil at home though and bring the jet engine and hope it doesn't scare too many moose!!!

 

[DougPaul]

Many others have posted some bad experiences with propane use in cold weather, but how about limiting reports of people actually using the correct "winter mix" fuel cells for this particular Jetboil stove?
.

Just a nit: pure propane works fairly well in winter, but it requires a heavy steel tank to contain the pressure (think hardware store propane torch). There used to be a propane stove that used the torch tank--the Grasshopper. Haven't seen it advertised in many (20+?) years. Still used in car camping and backyard stoves. Also used as cooking and heating fuel in houses.

The modern hiking stove cannisters generally use butane, isobutane, or a mix. It is also possible to get a propane-butane mix (MSR IsoPro) in a hiking cannister.

Doug

 

[dolladoj]

Just to clarify...
The higher the propane content, the better the cold weather response will be. Butane is the worst cold temp performer, with isobutane in between.

 

[DougPaul]

Just to clarify...
The higher the propane content, the better the cold weather response will be. Butane is the worst cold temp performer, with isobutane in between.

This is true for a full cannister. However, the propane tends to boil off first, the isobutane next, and the butane last. As the cannister is used the mixture gets worse and worse (for low temps).

There is one cannister stove with a flexible hose that is designed so the that cannister can be used right-side up or inverted. When the cannister is inverted, it feeds liquid fuel to the burner rather than gaseous fuel. This will preserve the mix if one does it from the start. (Presumably, one has to start the stove with the cannister right-side up and wait until the burner gets hot before inverting the cannister to prevent flare-ups.)

Doug

 

[Bluethroatedone]

Bring a match

Make sure to bring a match because as the butane / iso is gone the lighter won't light it automatically....Especially in the wind.

 

[Jasonst]

When I hear stuff about keeping the cannister near your body or using a hand warmer under it or whatever I lose interest real fast.

I'm with Neil. Which probably explains why I own 2 stoves and considering purchasing a third.